kjv@Matthew:20:23@ And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is preparedof my Father.

Today's notes:A Ransom for Many

Context:

What is man believing/doing?:

a woman Salome watching out for the welfare of her two sons, seeking major position in the coming kingdom

becoming indignant about the two's request

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

ambition without clearly knowing what such position entails, being of a household well to do enough to have servants, (possibility of Salome being Mary's sister)

given the context of all those having given all to follow receiving a seat on the twelve tribal thrones/first last last first seeing as Lord sees right/few chosen, it seems pretty arrogant to ask for more than all that or to ask for oneself and not for the others

Man's patience:

they are ready to die for Him, but that is not enough for them until they accept His death for them

Jesus keeping of commandment:

to minister to

be willingly baptized in the baptism given Him by His Father

to give life as ransom

Jesus keeping of faith:

Right and left hand on the throne are prepared for Him only by the Father (think of all the possibilities).

Their request focuses on the time to come, His response on the time at hand. This is a time of service, emulating the Master's example toward us, serving Him in serving others as opposed to having control over another.

Jesus' patience:

There is both the issue of the request being made and the repulsed reception of the request by the others. Instead of rebuffing either of these directly, He turns their eye to the proper focus and proper example. Both sides are viewed as one teachable moment.

Notes:

There must be something more here than just what the church calls servant leadership. Anyone of any faith can achieve the near identical effect, in fact some personalities seem predisposed to this. The difference appears to be in the model set forth by Christ.

Christ did not submit Himself to doing whatever everyone else needed or wanted; far from it. In everything He was focused on what the Father needed from Him and for the others also, connecting them at every opportunity to their own relationship to the Father and their communion one to another; that which serves truly them best in all facets. Otherwise our service to others is not service to God, but service to human nature.

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

Leadership is commonly viewed as taking control, taking authority, exercising dominion over. Very few have such power, it is more typically set as the strength of determination of one's will over a situation above another's, thus becomes a battle of wills. Alliance and consolidation become all important the larger the project as does in many cases the willingness to put down opposition.

The Church itself is no place for such control most certainly; though this is where it appears to be exerted the most. In the history of the Church it's darkest moments have come at the hand of one side getting over on the other, enforcing it's will upon another. The history of local churches much more frequented. Perhaps simply the congregation is a draw to such types. Perhaps the exercise is a breeding ground for such anticipated measure. Both the assumed leader and the indignant have much to learn from so stately an example as Christ's.

Ambition in its own right is never wrong and should not be discouraged. That said, it is almost always misdirected and mis-proportioned , the sure sign of it seen in a fellow servant's indignation. Ambition instead needs to be re channeled and refocused incrementally and continually.